Develop Bugs

[Q] A few noob questions.

Oh hello. I'm absolutely new to the forums because I decided to register so I can ask some questions about the Iconia A100 because I need them answered because I want to get the tablet soon.
Soo, here we go. About the screen size and resolution; I never had any Android device so it might sound stupid but... if you try to run an application or a game or whatever that's been made for lower resolution than the tablet's, will it run in a smaller "window" or something, or just won't run at all? The same goes with applications made for 1.x or 2.x version of Android - will they launch on A100's Honeycomb?
I also worry about the battery a bit - not about the battery's life because that seems just fine for me, but what happens if the battery breaks? You can't really replace it at home without breaking the warranty (I suppose you cannot open it) so will they replace it at some authorized-service-or-something? Or do you need to get the whole tablet replaced? I'm probably over-worrying this a bit because none of my phone batteries ever broke but still... Hehe.
Oh and I also wanted to ask about Gorilla Glass... Is it featured on the A100? On their website it says it is, I just want to get it verified by someone who owns it.
That's probably all for now, thanks very much for any replies.

Paturata said:
Oh hello. I'm absolutely new to the forums because I decided to register so I can ask some questions about the Iconia A100 because I need them answered because I want to get the tablet soon.
Soo, here we go. About the screen size and resolution; I never had any Android device so it might sound stupid but... if you try to run an application or a game or whatever that's been made for lower resolution than the tablet's, will it run in a smaller "window" or something, or just won't run at all? The same goes with applications made for 1.x or 2.x version of Android - will they launch on A100's Honeycomb?
I also worry about the battery a bit - not about the battery's life because that seems just fine for me, but what happens if the battery breaks? You can't really replace it at home without breaking the warranty (I suppose you cannot open it) so will they replace it at some authorized-service-or-something? Or do you need to get the whole tablet replaced? I'm probably over-worrying this a bit because none of my phone batteries ever broke but still... Hehe.
Oh and I also wanted to ask about Gorilla Glass... Is it featured on the A100? On their website it says it is, I just want to get it verified by someone who owns it.
That's probably all for now, thanks very much for any replies.
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I kept the A100 for a while before returning it but I'll share what I know about what you ask.
I'm not a gamer per se. Angry Birds is about all I've found interest for. But if an app is designed for lower resolutions often you will see FCs or other odd behaviour. Try to select compatible games for HC 3.2 and you should be fine. If a favorite game is FC'ing on you...drop a note to the developer. Oftentimes you can get great insights that way.
The battery is non-replaceable meaning if it ever pooped out on you, your only recourse would be RMA.
Yes, Gorilla Glass is a feature. But, know this. Gorilla Glass is "scratch-resistant" and not "scratch-proof". Huge difference. If you keep it, cover it would be my suggestion.
The A00 is a nice little tab. Well built but not real flexible. If you can swing a bit more $$ there are much better options out there.
HTH

Thank you skeeterpro. I've a few more questions though - what exactly is "FC"? I'd say it's Friend Code, but that doesn't really fit well...
I also want to ask what better options would you recommend, and why exactly did you return the tablet? I'm sorry for lots of stupid questions, but the tablet seems just fine to me and I don't wanna pay ~200$ more for a 10" Samsung tablet.

FC is short for Force Close. If an app quits responding, it is Android's way of killing it. Most times it will give you the option to Force Close an unresponsive app or wait for it to respond. Other times, it just closes it on its own.
Sent from my HTC Inspire 4G using Tapatalk

Paturata said:
Thank you skeeterpro. I've a few more questions though - what exactly is "FC"? I'd say it's Friend Code, but that doesn't really fit well...
I also want to ask what better options would you recommend, and why exactly did you return the tablet? I'm sorry for lots of stupid questions, but the tablet seems just fine to me and I don't wanna pay ~200$ more for a 10" Samsung tablet.
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No problem! Ask away. Two things. Questions are what this forum is for and two, we were ALL new at one time!
FC - Force Close. Android-speak for crashed! (Yours seems more positive though!)
Be happy to share what I think on recommendations but the bottom line is what YOU like and does what YOU want and, last but not least, what YOU can afford. If a tablet you have seems fine to you...keep it. Everyone has different needs/wants and therefore goals. List your priorities in a tab then jump on it.
My opinions on available 7" tabs I've tried:
A100: nice overall tablet. Good build just "feels" good in hand. Slippery back though. Screen viewing angles are really not good (looking at screen from the sides). Straight on the screen is acceptable. Battery life is weak. Depending on use it's highly doubtful one would get a full day on a single charge. Not many accessories available. There are rumors Acer may be getting out of making tablets. Not good as support would wither out. And that would mean no OS upgrades. Small dev support. (Not many on Xda own the darned thing). Buying something that is EOL (End Of Life) can be good but seldom is. There is the ability to root the A100 but no verifiable Recovery yet. And rooting voids one's warranty so a fail-safe Recovery is VITAL. The measly 8GB internal storage is mitigated by the uSD (micro SD) availability.
Amazon Kindle: Not a real tablet computer really. An e-reader that runs android which is fine but not really the same "animal" as a full on android tablet. Same with Nook Tablet. Nice units for reading/movies though. But locked into Amazon/Barnes and Noble content.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus: best 7" tablet available today bar none. Downsides are price. It's spend-y at $399 but you get what you pay for. Accessories are few but in the pipeline I am told. Best/fastest processor on the 7" tab out there. Screen isn't IPS but viewing angles and much better than the A100. Charger port can covert to a USB host. Both root and recovery are available but recovery is still being tested AFAIK.
Samsung has a 8.9 screen tab out if the 10.1" screen is too large for you. It has some drawbacks and the biggest IMHO is no uSD. There is a 7.7" tab from Samsung coming that is said to be freakin' amazing but no word on when or if it will be released in the US.
*whew* Hope the about helps at all.
Raise your hand if you have questions? lol

Thanks very much for both replies!
skeeterpro said:
There are rumors Acer may be getting out of making tablets. Not good as support would wither out. And that would mean no OS upgrades. Small dev support. (Not many on Xda own the darned thing).
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That would be bad. However, I read there will be ICS update for the A100 in 2012 so I don't know.
skeeterpro said:
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus: best 7" tablet available today bar none. Downsides are price. It's spend-y at $399 but you get what you pay for.
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$399? It's impossible to buy it here (Czech republic) for that price. Even A100 costs $340 here, Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus wasn't even released here yet and it will cost $700 at launch. Yes, 700 bucks.
You kinda scared me with the Acer-will-stop-producing-tablets thing (I know it's a rumour, but I'm paranoid as hell ). I'd love to invest into a Samsung tablet and be sure there will be lots of official support for it, but it's way too over-priced here (and that goes with everything in Europe).

Acer is not getting out of the tablet game. They have already announced the A200. The A100 and A500 will get Android 4.0 the latest version of Android in Janurary.

IHaveCrayons said:
Acer is not getting out of the tablet game. They have already announced the A200. The A100 and A500 will get Android 4.0 the latest version of Android in Janurary.
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Good to know! Of course, articles posted by the various websites should always be read with a grain of salt!
---------- Post added at 08:20 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:11 AM ----------
Paturata said:
Thanks very much for both replies!
That would be bad. However, I read there will be ICS update for the A100 in 2012 so I don't know.
$399? It's impossible to buy it here (Czech republic) for that price. Even A100 costs $340 here, Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus wasn't even released here yet and it will cost $700 at launch. Yes, 700 bucks.
You kinda scared me with the Acer-will-stop-producing-tablets thing (I know it's a rumour, but I'm paranoid as hell ). I'd love to invest into a Samsung tablet and be sure there will be lots of official support for it, but it's way too over-priced here (and that goes with everything in Europe).
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$700? Jeez. Actually the $340 for the A100 is about what I paid here when I first got it to try out. That sort of pricing seems to explain why so many from Europe purchase devices when on holiday here to take back.
Glad ihavecrayons found the source on Acer. I'm sure some manufacturers will stop producing tabs as the market floods with devices. The A100 (barring the irritants to some people) is a fine little tab really. Once a verifiable/reproducible Recovery is developed it will lend itself to serious modding! Now hopefully there will be increasing love for the device on Xda.

Thanks again.
If you don't mind one (probably last) question... What is this "recovery thing" that everyone's talking about? Resetting the device to its factory state including the default ROM for warranty purposes?

Moderator Message
Alright guys, party over...
@OP... you need to read mate!!
THREAD CLOSED!

Looking for a Note II. Do you recommend? Hows the customizations going?

Hi all
I'm not the kind of guy that buys every new flagship, I actually still have a Motorola Defy, which I'm willing to retire.
At the same time, I was thinking on getting a tablet, but never seen much use on such device without the phone functionalities, and kind of discovered this Galaxy Note II. Very nice.
I liked a lot the Spen and the bigger screen, which would probably end my eager for a tablet. The battery also seems very good, which is important to me. Micro SD slot is a must. Also, the quad core and 2 GB of RAM seem very future-proof as I want a phone to keep with me for at least a couple of years (as did the Defy).
But now, as I think it is the best place to ask, is the Note II a good customization device? How are ROM developers going?
The Defy actually was kind of a surprise, there is a consistent amount of ROM options for it. I imagine that, as Samsung is so popular, that it would be for this device as well. On the other hand, there is so much stuff, like the pen and the (not so) new hardware... i wonder if it get on the way...
Looking forward for your opinions. Thanks a lot and regards

ursoouindio said:
Hi all
I'm not the kind of guy that buys every new flagship, I actually still have a Motorola Defy, which I'm willing to retire.
At the same time, I was thinking on getting a tablet, but never seen much use on such device without the phone functionalities, and kind of discovered this Galaxy Note II. Very nice.
I liked a lot the Spen and the bigger screen, which would probably end my eager for a tablet. The battery also seems very good, which is important to me. Micro SD slot is a must. Also, the quad core and 2 GB of RAM seem very future-proof as I want a phone to keep with me for at least a couple of years (as did the Defy).
But now, as I think it is the best place to ask, is the Note II a good customization device? How are ROM developers going?
The Defy actually was kind of a surprise, there is a consistent amount of ROM options for it. I imagine that, as Samsung is so popular, that it would be for this device as well. On the other hand, there is so much stuff, like the pen and the (not so) new hardware... i wonder if it get on the way...
Looking forward for your opinions. Thanks a lot and regards
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Click to collapse
Youve pretty much answered all your questions. I can only emphasize on the fact that it definitely is a future proof device as there have been several articles that it will receive the Key Lime Pie update and as you said due to its popularity it has an ever growing number of supporters and developers, and the number of developments is growing by the day. Considering the Note 3 will take several months to arrive and several MORE months on top of that before you see any exciting developments. I would say now would be a somewhat good time to get it, considering you prefer the Spen and bigger screen, as you wont have to wait before you start flashing and customizing these abundant roms and mods available now.
Just a word of advice, before purchasing the Note 2 make sure it has the latest eMMC chip type which is 0xf7 since the older revisions have vulnerability to SDS (Sudden Death Syndrome)
Read here to get a proper picture if you havent http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2093599
Good luck.:good:

I have a note 2 for sale check my SIG on the bottom
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

Hi bushako
thanks for the hint!
I`m afraid I won't be able to check it prior actually having the phone. This issue is something that Samsung has made a recall or something? If so, I believe I can check and if it has the defective chip I could ask for another.
This chip problem is recent or was it just from the first batches?
Well, thats nice that this phone is well served on customizations and so on. When I asked, I imagined answers like "that other phone has so much more customization options", but, as you said, I believe we`re fine.
dirtbikerr450, I appreciate the offer but I`m from Brazil and it would be too much of a trouble to get it.

The development is pretty good around here. And the chip issue is just with the older batch, but still check if you have fx01 chip especially, which has this brickbug issue. Use eMMc brickbug check app to confirm.

Ok, just pulled the trigger.
Bought online, should have it next week.
Since we are here, let me ask one more thing:
should I bother with a case and screen protection ASAP?
I have the Defy (Gorilla Glass 1) for a couple of years, never used any of that, and everything is ok, the screen doesnt have a scratch. But I see a fuss for such protections, it seems everyone have.
Is there a problem in carrying it around in my pocket without any of these protections? In a short and in a long term?

ursoouindio said:
Ok, just pulled the trigger.
Bought online, should have it next week.
Since we are here, let me ask one more thing:
should I bother with a case and screen protection ASAP?
I have the Defy (Gorilla Glass 1) for a couple of years, never used any of that, and everything is ok, the screen doesnt have a scratch. But I see a fuss for such protections, it seems everyone have.
Is there a problem in carrying it around in my pocket without any of these protections? In a short and in a long term?
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Metal, S Pen etc. shouldn't scratch it at all, but if, by any chance, a grain of sand gets in there somewhere, you'll have a pretty annoying scratch there. Why take your chances with something like that? I have those 1$ ones on and except the fact that it's an oil magnet, I barely notice it to be honest. Some others invest a lot on screen protectors, and they get what they pay for So yeah, upto you.

I've lost all hope for rooting this phone

I find it so mind boggling that after checking these forums daily since the phone was released there is still no (permanent) root for this phone. Am I wrong for thinking this? With all the brains and experience out there you would think something would have happened by now. I seriously think there is a permanent root solution out there and it's being kept a secret from the rest of us. Sorry for ranting, I have no one else to explain my frustration to besides the people here. Have a nice day.

I hear ya, which is why I am going to sell my Note4 and get another phone. No more Samsung Android phones for me unless i change to T-Mobile which will never happen due to lack of reception at my house.

I'm switching to T-Mobile and sticking with LG once this contract is up, at&t and Samsung can go fly a kite.

You could sell yours and get an unlocked t-mobile version. I am frustrated too, but the only solution at this point is to be proactive. Peace!

Yeah I'm not doing a Samsung phone again.. sure it may have the best screen and what not, but I'll gladly take up to date android OS/root/recovery over that. You could sell your note 4 for about 350, then ebay a t-mobile version, or put in another 100 and get the new nexus or moto x pure

Yeah I'll see what T-Mobile can do for me to switch, I've read they will pay up to $300 for your phone and up to $350 for early termination fees in the form of a credit if you switch, Not too bad of a deal. AT&T if you're reading this, double middle fingers to you assholes.

Hate to add to the same type of replies however I can't agree more with all of you. Not just about root either. Updates come to us so slow and this device has always had slightly more lag then my s4. Pretty sure i'm either going straight to the source with the Nexus line or switching over to iOS. I'll miss the spen but at least the current Nexus phone has AMOLED.

I am with ya too. Once my contract on my At&t Note 4 is up in 2017. I am thinking about switching to whatever Nexus device is out, or a budge device like the OnePlus or Moto G, so I could root it or customize it as I choose.
.

trick
Anyone going to try Google FI? Or any phone recommendations?

jaydiamonds said:
Anyone going to try Google FI? Or any phone recommendations?
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It's probably going to be so limited to a few major cities for quite a long time. If the price makes sense and the quality is there then absolutely. Building an entire mobile network that is capable of reaching 99% of the country is extremely expensive and time consuming. The 4 major carriers have been working on it for 20 years and they are still building towers like crazy.
As for phone recommendations, I recommend looking at all the variables in the equation and make your decision accordingly. For me, checking to see if root has any progress or is already available is at the top of my list, followed by the device itself. To sum it up, some phones aren't very practical (nexus 6) but they excel in **** that matters to me (first to get system updates and easily rootable).

Thanks!
playerone_ said:
It's probably going to be so limited to a few major cities for quite a long time. If the price makes sense and the quality is there then absolutely. Building an entire mobile network that is capable of reaching 99% of the country is extremely expensive and time consuming. The 4 major carriers have been working on it for 20 years and they are still building towers like crazy.
As for phone recommendations, I recommend looking at all the variables in the equation and make your decision accordingly. For me, checking to see if root has any progress or is already available is at the top of my list, followed by the device itself. To sum it up, some phones aren't very practical (nexus 6) but they excel in **** that matters to me (first to get system updates and easily rootable).
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Click to collapse

I will never get sucked into the samsung hype ever again. This phone has generally received good reviews since day one, and I honestly have hated it since the day I obtained it. I had an S4 before this note 4, and I have to say that I hated that phone too. The hardware is awesome, and the software is sub-par bull poo poo. Every samsung phone I have ever had has had problems. Namely with the GPS, among other things, but I think any problem I have ever had with a samsung phone could have been solved with custom firmware. I know this is as much, or more so, a carrier issue as well as a manufacturer issue. The manufacturer puts crap software on the device, then the carrier locks it down so that you are stuck with it. The note 5 looks flashy as hell, but I will not get sucked in again! C'mon Nexus!!

Isn't the Note 5 already rooted with working TWRP? I don't understand how that phone could be rooted so fast and the Note4 will never be.

cozpolt said:
Isn't the Note 5 already rooted with working TWRP? I don't understand how that phone could be rooted so fast and the Note4 will never be.
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That is the t-mobile, sprint, international versions; all have an unlocked bootloader. The Verizon and att versions have a locked bootloader with a sha-256 key. If you read the att version does not boot if tried to root.

Even without perma-root (or root at all for those on LP like myself), this is still a darn good phone. Shame I can't use my gamepad properly, but at least I've only a year left before I can go for something else. Honestly, even with a chance of never getting root, I'd still get a Note 6 (when that comes, I mean).

That new nexus 6p is where I'm heading. Samsung really screwed us :/. On my note 2 I ran pure stock android because it's smooth as hell! I have to be stuck with Samsung's nonsense running the background with the note 4... Can't wait for the nexus 6p to drop. I'll be first in line!

UrbanLagoon said:
That new nexus 6p is where I'm heading. Samsung really screwed us :/. On my note 2 I ran pure stock android because it's smooth as hell! I have to be stuck with Samsung's nonsense running the background with the note 4... Can't wait for the nexus 6p to drop. I'll be first in line!
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Not Samsung, AT&T and Verizon are who is screwing you. They made the choice to lock everything down for more profits.

I finally gave up and sold my AT&T Note 4 for a T-Mobile variant. The difference is night and day, I was having severe battery drain, and normally would be <20% by the end of the day today, for the first time I haven't had to charge my phone overnight, and the battery is still at 65%. It drained 1% overnight for 8 hours.
Custom ROM and Kernels make a HUGE difference. Now I don't have to keep power saving mode on, which also increased lag and I can actually go a day without having to charge my phone and I get all the other benefits of root. Definitely will not buy another Samsung phone with a locked bootloader, I was getting ready to switch to an iPhone because I was so unhappy with the Note 4 performance and battery life.

I am on the ATT next program. Do I have to pay off phone before I sell it?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using xda premium

KennyG123 said:
Not Samsung, AT&T and Verizon are who is screwing you. They made the choice to lock everything down for more profits.
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What I meant to say was. Samsung also screwed us with the note 5.. They let their customers know they are headed into the iLame direction. I left apple after 4 years because it lacked tons of features. I'm assuming Samsung will drop the s pen on the note 6 and turn it into a $99 Samsung Pencil that you will have to buy on the side by the looks of it hahaha.

Glad you waited? Glad you held off rushing to buy an alternate phone so soon?

As a pre-order Note 7 customer who never received one due to the Recall Farce I can outright state I am still a happy, content user of my now over 2 years old Note 4.
I was extremely upset at never getting a Note 7, but my point is, with all the other options being spouted out on these forums, iPhone 7, Pixel, V20, Mate 9 Porsche, Xiaomi Mi Note 2, S7 Edge I am so SOO happy I held off.
Why?
Because the rumors of the new Galaxy S8, and even Note 8, are just too exciting, and to all those who rushed in to a new 24 month locked in contract they may end up wishing they waited. I was so close to doing so with the S7 Edge, but kept telling myself, be patient!
The main points pushing me to sign a new contract were twofold, I have £50 Store Credit with Carphone Warehouse and the resale value of my current Note 4 is STILL very much of significance.
Who else is happy they waited and are excited about the new S8?

:highfive:

Considering I am still using my note 7, I am waiting till the s8 comes out or the note 8 before I turn this in. The only way they will get me to come in is if they deactivate it.

I'm waiting until they tell us how they are going to take care of us. I'm guessing they never will, so until then, I'll take advantage of them like they've done to me.

Like a few others on here I got mine sim free direct from Samsung UK using their 'Upgrade on finance' deal they were doing (£31 per month x 24 + 10% deposit). I still have N7#2 (on 100% battery thanks to early version of Package Disabler Pro) and intend to keep using it until the N8 comes out. As per the original Samsung deal, I return the N7 for the next version come next summer/autumn or whenever the next Note is out.
If they succeed in having me return the N7 before then I get a refund of any monies paid and we just start again when the N8 appears.

I cant imagine using Big Ass note 4 or 5, laugh!!
It is absolutely normal to get that feeling OP but is it really worth it? As you will be missing out on certain stage and the experience. There will always be a phone newer than yours. With your future s8 or note8 you will still go through exactly same experience as you mention before. In my opinion nothing changes. Note8 will also get old.
Note 7 to me is the crim de la crim. There is nothing about the phone that i don't like. It has it all. (if note 8 will be better, im sure ill wish i had it.)
Tiny bezels,
Curved screen(yes once you go curve its hard to go back)
Wireless fast charge(Super important. My future phones will always wireless)
Quick access camera button.
Big display(never will I go for 5.5) (S7 Edge look tiny) and Note 4 looks like a tanks compared to N7
Waterproof (piece of mind )
Awesome Display(which is one of the big features of Samsung for me)
Many, many other features that i don't want to mention as the aboves ones are enough to have glued to this phone and not want any other.
I thought about Pixel and V20 but those don't have what note 7 has therefore the phone is not for me.
I hope to keep the phone at very least till Note8 comes out. May be longer. (depending what N8 will have over N7) I usually change my phones every year tho but ill be happy keeping this one till N9. If possible.

Me too, I still use mine every day. See quite a few others around my job doing the same. I'll turn it in when they release the S8 or whatever comes next.
Like I have said many times on this forum, I really believe there is nothing wrong with this phone. The first batch, yeah, something was awry. But the second batch looks fine to me. This really had to do with perception. Once a second batch phone had a problem, Samsung had no choice. Whereas with most phones a simple battery fire wouldn't have been an issue, given the debacle with the first batch, Sammy would've been sued badly should any more of the 2nd batch phones lit up.
The last I heard, like 10% haven't returned their phones, so that means many, many thousands are still out there. And no reports of fire. Trust me, the media would be all over a fire caused by a user that failed to return their phone.
Just my opinion of course, your mileage may vary.
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Still mad I can't root though...Messed around and took the update. I was going to have them exchange, but then the recall happened. I'm fugged on that front...oh well.

Yes, actually I am also using my faithful old Note4. Waiting for next Samsung goodies, preferably with s-pen.

pinetreehater said:
The last I heard, like 10% haven't returned their phones, so that means many, many thousands are still out there. And no reports of fire. Trust me, the media would be all over a fire caused by a user that failed to return their phone.
Just my opinion of course, your mileage may vary.
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The is a very fair point. Even with say 5 or 10% of the phones out there, we'd expect to see incidents continuing to be reported albeit at a reduced rate. Yet there is no such news, and I like you I would think it would be big news not to be missed by the media. And yet, silence.
That said, I was happy to take the risk anyway, but unfortunately I am not happy to live with a phone that has no updates for 2 years and which doesn't work with my GearVR, so I will have to return it at some point.

Chippy_boy said:
The is a very fair point. Even with say 5 or 10% of the phones out there, we'd expect to see incidents continuing to be reported albeit at a reduced rate. Yet there is no such news, and I like you I would think it would be big news not to be missed by the media. And yet, silence.
That said, I was happy to take the risk anyway, but unfortunately I am not happy to live with a phone that has no updates for 2 years and which doesn't work with my GearVR, so I will have to return it at some point.
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The story with the "thief's" Note7 exploding last week got quite a bit of coverage last week?

Chippy_boy said:
The is a very fair point. Even with say 5 or 10% of the phones out there, we'd expect to see incidents continuing to be reported albeit at a reduced rate. Yet there is no such news, and I like you I would think it would be big news not to be missed by the media. And yet, silence.
That said, I was happy to take the risk anyway, but unfortunately I am not happy to live with a phone that has no updates for 2 years and which doesn't work with my GearVR, so I will have to return it at some point.
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Updates to me are over rated. I always freeze the OTA apk's as soon as I get my phone and root it. Unless there is some huge benefit to upgrading (which I have never seen yet in about 9 years of owning android phones), I just keep my phone how it is once I root and lock in my ROM. Usually I go with a stock based ROM that someone on XDA has made and just stick with that.
As far as the N7, one can root and then from there you can do changes to make the Gear VR work. You can even use an old IMEI from a previous phone you owned and use that on the N7 if you really wanted (from what I have read - I have not done that). So if one really wanted to keep their N7, they could root and then do all of these things and still use it for a long time. I suspect there will be more people than we think who end up doing this and using their N7 until the N8 or similar option is available.
As of now, the N7 is still working 100% as it is supposed to on Verizon for me. I disabled all OTA apk's right away with package disabler, so my phone has never been updated. Unless Verizon and other carriers start blacklisting IMEI's, I will continue to use mine unless and viable option becomes available. I have been close to swapping for an S7 edge, but am going to wait and see what deals come out for it on Black friday and for the holiday season. If the deals are good enough I may yet just take my $100 I get for turning in my N7 and get the discounted S7. I can use that until either the S8 comes out, or even until the N8. I can always give my S7 to my girlfriend (she may be my wife by then) if/when I upgrade. Those are the options I am looking at right now. Happily using my N7 until the decision is either forced upon me or it seems the right time to turn it in and get the S7.

I'm very keen on an S8 though, especially if there's any chance of a 4k screen, which would make some VR experiences simply incredible - not that they are not already.

teegunn said:
Updates to me are over rated. I always freeze the OTA apk's as soon as I get my phone and root it. Unless there is some huge benefit to upgrading (which I have never seen yet in about 9 years of owning android phones), I just keep my phone how it is once I root and lock in my ROM. Usually I go with a stock based ROM that someone on XDA has made and just stick with that.
As far as the N7, one can root and then from there you can do changes to make the Gear VR work. You can even use an old IMEI from a previous phone you owned and use that on the N7 if you really wanted (from what I have read - I have not done that). So if one really wanted to keep their N7, they could root and then do all of these things and still use it for a long time. I suspect there will be more people than we think who end up doing this and using their N7 until the N8 or similar option is available.
As of now, the N7 is still working 100% as it is supposed to on Verizon for me. I disabled all OTA apk's right away with package disabler, so my phone has never been updated. Unless Verizon and other carriers start blacklisting IMEI's, I will continue to use mine unless and viable option becomes available. I have been close to swapping for an S7 edge, but am going to wait and see what deals come out for it on Black friday and for the holiday season. If the deals are good enough I may yet just take my $100 I get for turning in my N7 and get the discounted S7. I can use that until either the S8 comes out, or even until the N8. I can always give my S7 to my girlfriend (she may be my wife by then) if/when I upgrade. Those are the options I am looking at right now. Happily using my N7 until the decision is either forced upon me or it seems the right time to turn it in and get the S7.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Similar to bow I run Windows 7 in lieu of 10. I don't need "updates". The thing works fine as is, "security updates" are a farce. On Windows 7 I never update and in all of 6 years I have had a "security issue". Ever.

I broke down after they crippled me with the 60% battery, sucks, i didnt want to go back to my s4 which i had for 3.5 years so ordered Note 4 edge from ebay, hope to have it by Monday and also hope nothing wrong with it lol. Plan on atleast using that for the next year til the S8 plus or whatever they want to call the new NOTE is comes out and is SAFELY on the market for a FEW MONTHS before i jump on it lol, not dealing with returning phones again!!

Upgrading From Galaxy Nexus - Help Me Decide

Please advise a tech challenged senior who needs to upgrade.
Still using a Galaxy Nexus that I purchased nearly 3 years ago (January 2014).
Committed to Sprint
Need bigger display for my aging eyes.
Removable battery STRONGLY preferred.
I'll be rooting or jailbreaking whatever I purchase.
Option 1)
Note 4
32GB
Has everything that I want
Dated
At $200-$300, pretty spendy compared to option 3 (see below)
Option 2)
LG v20
64GB
Removable battery and storage, looks promising
Latest android, great hardware, feature rich
At $350, spendiest option
LG reputation seems uneven, boot loop problem ???
Option 3)
iPhone 6s Plus (I only included it because of perceived value)
64GB
Smooth, efficient functionality
Non-Removable battery
Apple seems control freekish
$199 w/warranty is appealing
I've been eyeing the Note 4 for a while and was ready to bid on a used example on Ebay.
Called Sprint to pre-clear the ESN.
They mentioned these other options and I paused to reconsider.
Is it TOO late to purchase the Note 4 simply because it is relatively dated ?
OR,
Is it STILL current ENOUGH compared to these other devices ?
If I have omitted OTHER Sprint phones in my above list please advise.
I lean heavily on the expertise and knowledge of the XDA Community when I upgrade because I don't have the time to follow developments as closely as I'd like.
It was XDA that helped me select the Galaxy Nexus.
It was my first Android Device and I've been very happy with it.
But it's time to move on.

I strongly advise against the iphone. It might be a biased opinion because I'm anti apple. But in my eyes android is way more open and customizable than any apple device.
I don't know much about the Lg V20 to give advice on it.
But as far as the Note 4 goes. Yes it is an ageing device but that also lets you get it cheaper. It still has a small group of developers. It has Nougat for it in the form of CM14. It's hardware might be older but is still better than new low to mid level phones. It has all the bells and whistles. (Battery, ir, sd, finger, etc). After what happened to note 7, this is best note series phone out there.
I will keep my note 4 until it blows up.
As far as where to get phone, yes beware of fakes and such. Never used it but i hear Swappa is suppose to be good place. Just make sure the imei is clean and it's Bootloader shows it to be the device is being sold as. And if it's too good to be true, it probably isn't.
Happy hunting!
Ps. I don't use sprint but do have sprint note 4 and very happy. Yes I'm sure sprint would rather you buy a new device, that's why they gave you suggestions .
But Maybe some actual sprint user devs can give you some input. If you do your research and make sure it's developer friendly device. Im sure you'll be happy with whatever you get.
If you look into another device, check if it's got a thread here and check it's development.
Good luck.

I agree with a lot of what aaron74 said. Though my desktop is an iMac, and I have a MacBook Pro, I won't get an iPhone, because you just can't do what you want with it. Unless you jailbreak it. One of the "features" of jailbreaking is getting apps without paying for them. I'm against that.
The Note 4 is much better than the Note 5, IMHO, because it has both a removable battery and a microSD card slot. Having said that, I loved my Note7 until they recalled them. It only had a microSD card slot. I've had new phone fever since then, but went back to my Note 4 because there still is a lot of development going on for it. The nice thing about getting a Note 4 is that later, if something new and wonderful comes out, you'll probably be able to afford it.
I am on Sprint. The Note 4 is great on Sprint. It has a lot of the features that the newest Samsung phones have like fingerprint reader and multi-window. It still has the IR blaster, so you can use it as a remote for a lot of TVs, DVD players, etc. It has the S-Pen, which even the S7 and S7 Edge don't have. Another problem with the S7s is root hasn't been attained yet. There's very little development happening because of it.
If you are going to root and flash custom ROMs, be sure to read a lot. Then ask questions. It's not the most difficult phone to flash, but having a PC is pretty much necessary.
As for buying a used Note 4, I have bought 2 on Craigslist. (I have also bought a bunch of other phones from Craigs.) I always meet the seller at a Sprint store and have the Sprint people check to make sure the phone can be activated on Sprint. I had one problem with one I bought that was already rooted. A Sprint tech finally pushed through the activation. I really didn't think that could be done. I didn't realize it until I got it home what the problem was. I think the guys figured I was just a dumb lady who wouldn't know better. Also, I always have them activate it, pay the seller, and put Sprint's insurance on it when they activate it. That way it's up to Sprint to fix it if a problem turns up later. I do the $11/month insurance, because I don't need them to insure my network. I can fix that myself. YMMV. I live in the Minneapolis-St Paul area. Note 4s are going for around $200-250.
I have a friend who got a new Note 4 on Amazon for about $325, but she is on T-Mobile. I figure Amazon is pretty safe, as they try really hard to make their customers happy. Amazon also had some refurbished Note 4s for less. Also, buying on Amazon, and probably on eBay, too, allows you to get their insurance, which can be pretty cheap. The one thing none cover, that Sprint does, is lost or stolen phones.
Some accessories you might want are a glass screen protector, a case, and maybe an extra battery. Amazon is a great place for those items. But Sprint is selling the battery pack online , which includes a new battery, an external charging case and a carrying case for the battery. All for $25. You have to use your charger for the charging case. The reason I suggest a battery is that weird things happen when the battery starts to go. Sometimes the Note 4 will shut down for no reason, or bootloop. Or get really hot when charging. I mostly charge with a regular charger rather than the Fast Charger it comes with. I figure the phone has less chance of getting overheated that way, and possibly the batteries last longer. The wireless charging pad is also an option. It will only charge at the lower speed, though, no matter which one you get.
Sorry if that was TMI. Hope it helps you decide, though.

Thanks for the helpful replies.
After considering all available options I picked up a brand new Note 4 on Ebay for $300.
I SHOULD have picked one up when they first came out but I kept hoping for a new Nexus w/ replaceable batteries, like my Galaxy Nexus.
Anyway, the ESN is clean.
The phone is new and beautiful.
I'd NEVER even seen one in person before I purchased mine.
Now I'm trying to learn how to root it and install a custom recovery.
It was so easy with my Galaxy Nexus.
I simply used the Wugfresh Nexus Root Toolkit and it did all the work.
Sadly, I think I may have screwed up when I first powered it up three days ago.
I was prompted to update and, without thinking, I let it.
Well, it installed Marshmallow 6.0.1 and now I can't find the "enable OEM Unlock" toggle that is supposed to appear after I enable developer options.
This is needed to proceed to root, as I understand things
Come to find out that the Marshmallow upgrade eliminated it.
So I need to figure out how to address this before I proceed.
Anyway, I'm sure I'll find the answers here at XDA.
I've learned alot since I joined up in 2008 to educate myself about my first PPC, the Windows Mobile HTC Touch.
I'm very excited to join the others here who have selected the Note 4.
I'm sure it was the best choice for me and I expect to keep her for a couple of years anyway !

Lowranger said:
Thanks for the helpful replies.
Now I'm trying to learn how to root it and install a custom recovery.
It was so easy with my Galaxy Nexus.
I simply used the Wugfresh Nexus Root Toolkit and it did all the work.
Sadly, I think I may have screwed up when I first powered it up three days ago.
I was prompted to update and, without thinking, I let it.
Well, it installed Marshmallow 6.0.1 and now I can't find the "enable OEM Unlock" toggle that is supposed to appear after I enable developer options.
This is needed to proceed to root, as I understand things
Come to find out that the Marshmallow upgrade eliminated it.
So I need to figure out how to address this before I proceed.
Anyway, I'm sure I'll find the answers here at XDA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'll find out things will be done differently but it is still an easy process to root and Twrp.
Correct, there is no more oem unlock in dev options, But you do want to make sure reactivation lock is off. It's in settings>security. Attached pic.
Couple things to know, custom roms will need you to be on certain stock firmware (eg. PJ1, PK1, etc). If your gonna install any newer roms then your newest firmware should be fine. Just if you go to install any older roms you might have to downgrade your stock firmware.
All stock firmware is installed with pc Odin program.
Just know if you go custom it will trip your knox counter. If you don't know what that is google it. It has to do with security using your phone for work, and also warranty. Me myself it's junk but i guess some people need it.
If you want Root and custom though, first thing your gonna want to do is install Twrp with Odin, and make a complete backup of your phone.
But all the info is hereto find and if your unsure just ask.

Lowranger said:
I've learned alot since I joined up in 2008 to educate myself about my first PPC, the Windows Mobile HTC Touch.
I'm very excited to join the others here who have selected the Note 4.
I'm sure it was the best choice for me and I expect to keep her for a couple of years anyway !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had that same HTC Touch! There was a dev here on XDA that figured out how to run Android on the Touch. You copied a file to your microSD card. Then you booted into Windows Mobile. From there you ran "HaRET," which was a script to run Android on top of WM. I ran Myn's Warm Donut. It's hard to believe I was running this almost 7 years ago! FWIW, the HTC Touch forum is still up and running here on XDA!

"it is still an easy process to root and Twrp"
Well said,
I was able to TWRP and ROOT w/o too much trouble.
I was briefly interested in the KingoRoot (one-step root).
But I researched and thought better of it.
Anyway, I'm very happy to have the flexibility that rooting offers.
Sweat a few bullets as I proceeded but it all worked out OK !
I'll look at Custom Roms but probably will be happy to simply enjoy my device as is.
My limited appreciation of Custom Roms is that they promise many things but there always seems to be a price.
Battery life, loss of features, random glitches & hitches.
Still open to learn though and XDA is certainly the place for it.
Anyway, I feel like I've found a new home among helpful friends and I'm grateful and happy to be here.